Tape dispenser



March 5, 1963 Filed NOV. 5, 1958 c. CASTELLI TAPE DISPENSER 2 sheetssheet 1 2'8 INVENTOR 6212455 63457544 ATTORNEY C. CASTELLI March 5, 1963TAPE DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 5', 1958 lm gNToR (214F4554:72-24/ ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fifice 3,679,827 Patented Mar.5, 1963 3,079,827 TAPE DISPENSER Charles Castelli, New Brunswick, N.J.,assignor to Johnson a Johnson, a corporation or New Jersey Filed Nov. 5,1958, Ser. No. 772,069 6 Ciaims. (Cl. 83-614) The present invention isdrawn to a tape dispenser and more particularly to a tape dispensing andcutting device for use with surgical adhesive tapes.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 731,658, filed April 29, 1958, atape dispensing and cutting mechanism is described of the type whereinthe adhesive tape is unrolled to the length desired and then secured, bymeans of the adhesive thereon, to a cutter guide. The tape is thensevered by passing the cutter along the guide past the tape so held. Thesevered end of the tape remains attached to the guide Where it is easilygrasped when another length of tape is needed.

With cutting devices of this type where an end of the tape is held afterbeing severed, some difficulty is encountered When replacing a used rollwith a fresh one. Since the severed ends of the tape are all held by thetape guide, these ends must either be removed from the tape guide inorder to remove the roll-supporting spindle with the tape rolls from thecutter assembly, or one must work within the narrow confines of thedispenser to replace the used roll. This is somewhat ditficult since assoon as the roll-supporting spindle is removed the rolls of tape fallout of alignment and, with their attached ends, are difiicult to againplace on the roll-supporting spindle along with the new roll.

It is an object of the present invention to provide roll aligning andsupporting means so that rolls can quickly and easily be replaced. It isa further object of the present invention to provide means whereby therolls can be quickly and easily replaced without'the necessity ofdetaching the secured ends of tape. It is a still further object of thepresent invention to provide a tape cutting device similar to that ofco-peuding application "Serial No. 731,658 containing a roll supportingand aligning member for easily changing rolls, which tape cuttingmechanism is readily knocked down for packaging and which makes acompact package in its knocked-down condition. Other objects andadvantages of this invention will be come apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings whereinare set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments ofthis invention.

Referring to the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tape dispenser with the roll alignerand supportin the raised position;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 showing the tapeholder and aligner in its lowered position 'with the tape rollssupported thereon prior to removal of the roll spindle; fFIG. 3 is across section through the cutting blade holder;

.FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the blade holder showing the coverremoved; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tape dispenser andcutter showing a modification in which 'a cover is used; :1 FIG. 6 is afragmental top plan view of one end of the tape holder of FIG. 5; FIG. 7is a sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG. 6; 7'

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the tape cutter with cover showing'theknockeddown arrangement of parts for packaging; and

FIG. 9 is a left-hand elevation of the knocked-down tape cutter with theparts assembled for packaging.

The roll holding and aligning mechanism of the present invention isshown in connection with a tape dispenser and cutter of the typedescribed in the heretofore mentioned co-pending application Serial No.731,658, although its use is not limited thereto.

In the embodiment illustrated, the bracket which supports a removablespindle on which tape rolls are carried is also provided with fourclosely spaced parallel rods on which the cutting blade holder isadapted to ride. These rods are placed forward with respect to the rolltape support so that the unrolled tape may be secured adhesive side downto the uppermost of these rods and the cutter assembly slid across thesame for severing. The rods have sufiicient spring so that the same maybe slightly sprung apart for receiving the base of the cutting knifecarrier. The bracket, together with the assembled parts, make a completetape dispensing and cutting device. The device may be readily mounted onthe wall, on a hospital cart or in a container by securing the back ofthe bracket to a vertical surface which acts as a support for the tapedispenser and cutter.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the bracket 10 which isU-shaped has a straight back 11 which is preferably provided with holes,not shown, for securing the bracket to a vertical support and withperpendicularly extending sides. The sides have two right angle bends toprovide sections 12 and further spaced sections 13. The sections 12 areadapted to hold the tape supporting spindle 14 and are provided withnotches 15 in which the ends of the spindle are inserted. It will benoted that the notches 15 are curved back toward the front of thebracket as at 16 to help maintain the supporting rod 14 in place whentape is unwound.

Four closely spaced parallel rods 17 extend between the end sections 13of the bracket and are secured thereto. The upper two rods act as acutting surface, the tape being secured to these rods by its adhesivecoating while being cut. A cutter carriage 18 is adapted to be held byand ride on the four rods.

The cutter carriage 13 has a blade-carrying section 19 on which thecutter blades 20 are placed and a cover 21 for securing the blades inposition. The cutter blades 20, which may be any conventional razorblades of the perforated type, are placed over projections 23 whichposition the blades in a slanting position with respect to any tape laidacross the cutting surface formed by the two upper rods 17. The bladesare held in this position by cover 21 which is secured to theblade-carrying section 19 by screws 22. lndentations 24 are provided onthe inner surface at both ends of the blade-carrying section 19 to makeremoval of the blades easier. When it is desired to remove a blade, theblade can readily be removed by insertion of the fingernail or otherobject into the indentation 24, below the blade. The blade is thenlifted 01f of the projections 23.

The cutter carriage is provided with a neck 25 which i adapted to fitbetween the upper two rods 17 and slide therebetween. The neck 26connects the bladecarrying section 19 and an elongated slide section 26which is somewhat thicker than the neck 25 and is adapted to fit in thespace between the four rods 17. The longitudinally extending slidesection 26 has its upper edge 27 and its lower edge 28 beveled to fitrespectively between the upper and lower pair of rods 17 These bevelededges 27 and 23 preferably have arcuate surfaces to better fit therounded contour of the rods with which they come in contact.

In preparing the cutter for use, razor blades 20 are inserted overprojections 23 and the cover member 21 then placed on top of theblade-holding section 19 so that the projections 23 enter indentations27 in the cover. The blade-holding section 19 and cover 21 are thenfirmly secured together by means of the screws 22. The assembled cutteris placed in position on the carrying rods 17 by inserting slide section25 between the upper two parallel rods 17 near the center thereof, therods 17 having sufiicient spring to permit this insertion. When inplace, the slide section 27 is restrained within the space between thefour rods 17 but free to slide easily from one end to the other.

The tape cutting and dispensing device may be placed in a cabinet,suitably designed container or simply sccured to the wall or to the endof a hospital cart. When a strip adhesive tape is to be used, it isunrolled from one of the rolls 30 to the desired length, secured to thetopmost of the two rods 17 by the adhesive contained on the tape andthen severed by simply moving the cut ting member 18 across the tape.The severed piece of tape is removed and the severed end 31, which isstill connected to the tape roll, is left secured to the innermost ofthe top rods 17, as clearly shown in FIG. 1. When a roll of tape is usedup, it is necessary to remove the spindle 14 and place a new roll on thespindle after removing the core of the used roll. Since the tape ends 31associated with the remaining tape rolls are attached to the rods 17, itis apparent that without further modification of the tape cutter anddispenser some diiiiculty would be involved in inserting the new roll.

In order to simplify the removal of used rolls of tape and theirreplacement with new rolls and also to aid in the initial filling of thetape dispenser and cutter, a roll support 32 is provided. This ro-llsupport 32 serves to hold the tape rolls in an aligned position whilethe spindle 14'is inserted or withdrawn. The roll support 32, when inroll supporting position, is forward of the spindle holding notches andabove rods 17. With the roll support 32 in this position, the spindle 14with its rolls 30 can readily be removed from the notches 15 and placedon the roll support 32 without the necessity of detaching the held ends31 of tape or further unrolling of adhesive tape from the rolls '30.Once the spindle 14 with the rolls thereon has been placed on rollsupport 32, the spindle 14 can be removed and the used roll replacedwithout disturbing the position of the re- Inaining rolls. It is thenonly necessary to reinsert the spindle 14 through the rolls while stillsupported in aligned position by support 32'and then lift the spindlewith its contained rolls back into the notche 15. In this manner, usedrolls can readily be removed and replaced with new rolls with a minimumof efiort and time.

The roll sup-port 23 is provided with a pair of downwardly extendingspring tabs 33 which are secured to bracket end 13 by means ofprojections 34. These are carried near the ends of the tabs and passthrough holes 35 provided in the brackets. The holes 35 are placed backof the cutter guide rods 17 so the roll support 32 can be pivoted out ofthe way when cutter 18 is being used. The roll support 32, in its raisedposition, is best illustrated in FIG. 1. By swinging back the rollsupport 23 in this manner, cutter-"18 is readily accessible. There isalso ready access to the tapeends for onwinding further sections oftape.

If the tape dispensing and cutting device is not to be placed in acabinet or container, it is desirable to protect the tape rolls fromdust and possible spilling of medication by the provision of a cover 36.The cover provided has two downwardly projecting sides 37 and adownwardly extending flange 38 extending across the front of the cover.Near the back and lower part of 'the sides 37 are projections 39, whichare adapted to enter holes 40 in section 12 of the bracketfor pivotlymounting the cover. The flange 38 acts to hold the roll support 32 inraised position when the dispenser is in use for dispensing and cuttingtape. In such case, the raised roll support acts together with the coverto protect the rolls of tape contained.

When it is desired to replace a roll of tape, the cover 36 is pivotedback to completely expose the tape rolls 3%) and the roll holder pivotedforward in the manner heretofore described, the side tabs 33 resting onrod 17 to support the roll holder 32 in its forward position,

The tape cutter and dispenser, together with cover 36 and roll support32, are designed in the modification illustrated so as to be readilydisassembled into a compact rectangular package. The knocked-downdispenser with parts assembled for packing is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and9. When the dispenser and cutter assembly are prepared for packaging,the spring tabs 33 of roll holder 32 are flexed inwardly to remove theprojections 34 from the holes 35 and the roll holder 32 then slid downbetween the legs 13 into the position shown in 'FIG. 9. The sides 37 ofthe cover 36 are then flexed out to remove the projections 39 from holes40, and the cover moved down to where it rests flat on the top ofbracket sections 12. The cover sides have indentations 41 which fit overthe ends of spindle 14, holding the spindle in notches 15. In thisposition, the cover 36 helps to hold "both the spindle 14 and the rollholder 32 in their knocked-down packaged state.

The whole assembly has a cleancut rectangular appearance, all partsbeing compactly maintained inside the bracket 10.

A particular embodiment of the invention has been used to illustrate thesame. The invention, 'h'owevenis not limited to this specificembodiment, variations and modifications well within the spirit andscope of the .invention being apparent on reading the specification.

Having thus described my'invention, I claim:

1. In an adhesive tape dispensing and cutting device, a. removablespindle for supporting rolls of tape, means for supporting said spindleat each end thereof in a tape dispensing "position, said means havingnotches in containingsaid spindle ends when said spindle is in tipedispensing position, said notches beingopen at the'top to permitdropping of "said spindle ends into said notches when placing saidspindle in tape dispensing posi ion and to permit removal of saidspindle from said notches by lifting said spindle upwardly out of saidnotches, said notches being so shaped as to maintain said spindle insaid notches .during unrolling and withdrawal of tape sections forcutting, a tape holder extending substantially parallel to said spindlewhen supported in said tape dispensing position for holding unrolledtape While the same is being cut and a pivotly mounted longitudinallyextending roll support adapted to hold and align tape rolls while beingplaced on said spindle, said roll support when in roll supportingposition being above said tape holder and spaced with respect to saidspindle when supported by said spindle supporting means in tapedispensing position and spaced with respect to said tape holder so thatboth ends of said spindle can be removed from said spindle supportingmeans and said spindle with rolls of, tape thereon moved from its tapedispensing position and placed onto said roll support without requiringfurther unrolling of tape orremoval of severed tape ends from said tapeholder.

"'2. 'In an adhesive tape dispensing device a spindle for supportingrolls of tape, means for supporting said spindle at each end thereofintape dispensing position, said means having notches for containing saidspindle ends when said spindle is in tape dispensing position, .saidnotches being open at the top "to permit dropping of said spindle endsinto said notches when placing said spindle in tape dispensing positionand to permit removal of said spindle from said notches by lifting saidspindle upwardly out of said notches, said notches being so shaped as tomaintain saidspindle in said notches during unrolling and withdrawal oftape sections for cutting, a longitudinally extending cutterguide'spaced forward of said spindle when in its tape dispensingposition, a portion of said cutter guide being adapted to have unwoundtape adhesively Secured thereto while said tape is being cut, cuttingmeans movable on said 'cu'tter'guide for cutting said unwound tapewhileso held'and a'longitudinally extending roll support positionedabove said cutter guide for supporting and aligning tape-rolls while thesame are being placed on said spindle, said roll support when in rollsupporting position being-spaced'with respect to said spindle whensupported'bysaid spindle supporting means in tape dispensing positionand spaced with respect to said cutter guide so that both ends of saidspindle can be removed from said spindle supporting means and saidspindle with rolls of tapeithereon can be moved from its tape dispensingposition and placed onto said tape support without the further unrollingof tape or removal of severed tape endsffrom said cutter guide, and saidroll support being pivotly mounted so that it can be moved out of theway when said cutting means is moved along said cutter guide for,cuttingsaid tape.

3. In a tape dispensing and cutting devicefor dispensing strips ofpressure-sensitive adhesive tape from rolls, a itemovable spindle forsupporting said' rolls in tape dispensing position, a support for saidmovable spindle for supporting said spindle in tape dispensing position,a cutter guidespaced from said spindle when in tape dispensing positionand extending substantially. parallel therewith, a tape cutter adaptedto move on said cutter guide for cutting unirolled strips of tape, alongitudinally extending roll support extending substantially parallelwith said cutter guide and pivotly mounted between said removablespindle and said cutter guide, said roll support being movable intoaposition above said cutter guide when supporting said rolls duringalignment of the same for placing on said spindle and movable from saidcutter guide while said tape is being dispensed and a pair of spacednotches in said support for removably supporting said spindle when saidspindle is in tape dispensing position, said notches being open at thetop so that said spindle can be dropped into said notches when placingsaid spindle in tape dispensing position and can be lifted from saidnotches when removing said spindle with rolls still thereon to said rollsupport when said roll support is in roll supporting position, saidspindle with rolls thereon being movable to said roll support withoutunwinding the tape and without moving tape ends secured to said cutterguide and said notches being so shaped as to maintain said spindle insaid notches during unwinding and withdrawing of tape sections forcutting while said spindle is in tape dispensing position.

4. In a tape dispensing and cutting device for dispensing strips ofpressure-sensitive adhesive tape from rolls, a bracket having a pair ofopposed legs, a spindle for supporting said rolls in a tape dispensingposition, notches in said legs for removably supporting the ends of saidspindle, a cutter guide extending between the ends of said legs spacedfrom and substantially parallel to said spindle, a movable cutter onsaid cutter guide, a cover member having downwardly extending sides,said cover being pivotly mounted on said bracket, a roll support havingdownwardly extending side tabs pivotly mounted on said bracket betweensaid spindle and said cutter guide, said roll support being movable froma roll supporting position to a raised position, and means on said coverfor holding said roll support in a raised position, said notches beingopen at the top so that said spindle can be dropped into said notcheswhen placing said spindle in tape dispensing position and can be liftedfrom said notches when moving said spindle with tape roll still thereonto said roll support when said roll support is in roll supportingposition, said spindle with rolls thereon being movable to said rollsupport without unrolling the tape and without removing tape endssecured to said cutter guide and said notches being so shaped as tomaintain said spindle in said notches during unrolling and withdrawingof tape sections for cutting while said spindle is in tape dispensingposition;

5. In a tape dispensing and cutting-device for dispens ing strips ofpressure-sensitive adhesive tape from rolls, a bracket having a pair ofopposed legs, a'spindle for supporting said rolls in a tape dispensingposition, notches in said legs for removably supporting the ends of saidspindle, a cutter guide extending between the ends of said legs spacedfrom and substantially parallel to said spindle, a movable cutter onsaid cutter guide, a cover member having downwardly extending springsides and a down wardly extending forward flange, means for pivotly andremovably mounting said spring sides on the bracket legs behind saidnotches, a roll support having downwardly extending spring side tabspivotly and removably mounted on said bracket legs between said spindleand said cutter guide, said roll support being movable from a rollsupporting position to a raised position, said downwardly extendingforward flange on said cover overlapping said roll support when saidroll support is in a raised position to cooperate with said roll supportin protecting and covering said tape rolls, said roll support in itsraised position acting to support said cover and said cover acting tomaintain said roll support in its raised position, said notches beingopen at the top so that said spindle can be dropped into said notcheswhen placing said spindle in tape dispensing position and can be liftedfrom said notches when moving said spindle with tape roll still thereonto said roll support when said roll support is in roll supportingposition, said spindle with rolls thereon being movable to said rollsupport without unrolling the tape and without removing tape endssecured to said cutter guide and said notches being so shaped as tomaintain said spindle in said notches during unrolling and withdrawingof tape sections for cutting while said spindle is in tape dispensingposition.

6. In a tape dispensing and cutting device for dispensing strips ofpressure-sensitive adhesive tape from rolls, a bracket having a pair ofopposed legs, a spindle for supporting said rolls in a tape dispensingposition, notches in said legs for removably supporting the ends of saidspindle, a cutter guide extending between the ends of said legs spacedfrom and substantially parallel to said spindle when said spindle is inroll dispensing position, a movable cutter on said cutter guide, a covermember having downwardly extending spring sides and a downwardlyextending forward flange, means for pivotly and removably mounting saidspring sides on the bracket legs behind said notches, a roll supporthaving downwardly extending spring side tabs pivotly and removablymounted on said bracket legs between said spindle and said cutter guide,said roll support being movable from a roll supporting position to araised position, said downwardly extending forward flange on said coveroverlapping said roll support when said roll support is in a raisedposition to cooperate with said roll support in protecting and coveringsaid tape rolls, said roll support in its raised position acting tosupport said cover and said cover acting to maintain said roll supportin its raised position, said cover and said roll holder adapted to beremoved from their pivoted positions on said bracket when said tapedispenser is prepared for packing and said cover having a flat portionand said cover sides having indentations on their lower edges so thatwhen prepared for packing the flat portion of said cover rests on top ofsaid bracket legs while the indentations in said cover sides fit oversaid spindle ends to maintain said ends within said notches, said rollholder falling within the space between said legs to provide asubstantially rectangular package, said notches being open at the top sothat said spindle can be 7, dropped into said notches when placing saidspindle in tape dispensing position and can be lifted from said notcheswhen moving said spindle with tape roll still thereon to said rollsupport when said roll support is in roll supporting position, saidspindle with rolls thereon 5 being movable to said roll support withoutunrolling the tape and without removing tape ends secured to said cutterguide and said notches being so shaped as to maintain said spindle insaid notches during unrolling and withdrawing of tape sections forcutting while said spindle 10 is in tape dispensing position.

- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS' w la

2. IN AN ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSING DEVICE A SPINDLE FOR SUPPORTING ROLLS OF TAPE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID SPINDLE AT EACH END THEREOF IN TAPE DISPENSING POSITION, SAID MEANS HAVING NOTCHES FOR CONTAINING SAID SPINDLE ENDS WHEN SAID SPINDLE IS IN TAPE DISPENSING POSITION, SAID NOTCHES BEING OPEN AT THE TOP TO PERMIT DROPPING OF SAID SPINDLE ENDS INTO SAID NOTCHES WHEN PLACING SAID SPINDLE IN TAPE DISPENSING POSITION AND TO PERMIT REMOVAL OF SAID SPINDLE FROM SAID NOTCHES BY LIFTING SAID SPINDLE UPWARDLY OUT OF SAID NOTCHES, SAID NOTCHES BEING SO SHAPED AS TO MAINTAIN SAID SPINDLE IN SAID NOTCHES DURING UNROLLING AND WITHDRAWAL OF TAPE SECTIONS FOR CUTTING, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CUTTER GUIDE SPACED FORWARD OF SAID SPINDLE WHEN IN ITS TAPE DISPENSING POSITION, A PORTION OF SAID CUTTER GUIDE BEING ADAPTED TO HAVE UNWOUND TAPE ADHESIVELY SECURED THERETO WHILE SAID TAPE IS BEING CUT, CUTTING MEANS MOVABLE ON SAID CUTTER GUIDE FOR CUTTING SAID UNWOUND TAPE WHILE SO HELD AND A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ROLL SUPPORT POSITIONED ABOVE SAID CUTTER GUIDE FOR SUPPORTING AND ALIGNING TAPE ROLLS WHILE THE SAME ARE BEING PLACED ON SAID SPINDLE, SAID ROLL SUPPORT WHEN IN ROLL SUPPORTING POSITION BEING SPACED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SPINDLE WHEN SUPPORTED BY SAID SPINDLE SUPPORTING MEANS IN TAPE DISPENSING POSITION AND SPACED WITH RESPECT TO SAID CUTTER GUIDE SO THAT BOTH ENDS OF SAID SPINDLE CAN BE REMOVED FROM SAID SPINDLE SUPPORTING MEANS AND SAID SPINDLE WITH ROLLS OF TAPE THEREON CAN BE MOVED FORM ITS TAPE DISPENSING POSITION AND PLACED ONTO SAID TAPE SUPPORT WITHOUT THE FURTHER UNROLLING OF TAPE OR REMOVAL OF SEVERED TAPE ENDS FROM SAID CUTTER GUIDE, AND SAID ROLL SUPPORT BEING PIVOTALY MOUNTED SO THAT IT CAN BE MOVED OUT OF THE WAY WHEN SAID CUTTING MEANS IS MOVED ALONG SAID CUTTER GUIDE FOR CUTTING SAID TAPE. 